Judge Tosses DOJ Lawsuit Challenging Colorado’s Sanctuary Laws

The judge found the federal government can’t compel states or cities to assist with federal immigration enforcement.

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston testifies before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on Capitol Hill on March 5, 2025. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit March 31 filed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) claiming Colorado and Denver’s sanctuary laws interfered with federal enforcement of immigration laws.

“Our nation was founded on a system of ‘duel sovereignty,’ in which ‘citizens would have two political capacities, one state and one federal, each protected from incursion by the other,’” U.S. District Judge Gordon Gallagher wrote.